Books, arts and culture

Skateboarding in Afghanistan

Half-pipe dreams

UNDER Taliban rule, sport in Afghanistan hovered between restricted and banned. Since the regime’s fall from power, it has seen a revival. Most famously, Afghanistan now has a cricket team that has risen quickly through the league. But resources and equipment for amateur sporting activities remain limited.

When Oliver Percovich, an Australian skateboarder, arrived in Kabul in 2007 to join his girlfriend, his impromptu skateboarding sessions attracted the attention of local boys and girls. He soon realised that sporting opportunities for the youth were especially scarce. Funds allocated for social projects would end up lining the pockets of the older generation or were misspent. So he decided to build a skate park to provide the youth with somewhere to learn and play.

A new coffee-table book, “Skateistan: The Tale of Skateboarding in Afghanistan”, and a short film, “Skateistan: The Movie”, chronicle the park’s journey. In 2009, Mr Percovich founded Skateistan, an NGO, and used it to establish a skateboarding facility of the same name. He started out with $20,000 worth of donated equipment from American skateboarding companies. Local marble, one of Afghanistan’s cheaper building materials, was used to make the park’s floors. Ramps are made from local plywood as well as more durable boards from Europe that staff say will not need to be repaired or replaced for several years. Located on the grounds of the Afghan National Olympic Committee, which donated the land and whose permission Mr Percovich needed to open the facility, the park is in a quiet, relatively safe part of town.

Each week, around 400 teens—up from 40 in 2009—come to skate and attend free classes in civic engagement, leadership, multimedia and “creative arts” (such as spray-painting). Mr Percovich says the aim is to break down social barriers of gender and ethnicity in a secure environment: “On a skateboard, you don’t see differences in colour or background, just the tricks you can do.” Skateistan is the largest sporting organisation in Afghanistan that is accessible to females. This is significant in a country that, despite the increased role of women in Afghan government and the military, still grapples with social prejudices and violence against women. Skateistan now has more than 25 Afghan staff and operates on a $500,000 annual budget, mostly donated by Western embassies. There are plans for a branch in Mazar-e-Sharif, a large city in the north.

Mr Percovich believes that when ideas are transplanted over from somewhere else, “locals don’t believe in it”. Skateistan works, he says, because much of the park’s decision-making is in the hands of young members. Skateistan’s organisers have also made an effort to get to know many of the children’s parents and extended families. “I’m simply a conduit,” Mr Percovich says. “It’s top-down but also bottom-up. They asked me for boards, so we got them. They asked for classes, so we organised those.” Some boys walk up to 10km (6 miles) to get to the park (transport is provided for girls). To avoid too much Western influence, Mr Percovich does not play skateboarding videos or music. As a result, Kabul’s young skateboarders ride the way they want to, in a style Mr Percovich simply describes as “pretty unique”.

Think is what fundamentalism fears. Think is what fundamentalism desperately attempts to crush. Crush by brute force if necessary. This is also the essence of the behavior of a bully. Fundamentalism isn't just about the crushing of dissent by force. It is about wiping out the inalienable right of a mind to think .

I hope the kids will experience this inalienable right via the experience of a kind of freedom acquirable only by the discipline of mastery - be the object of mastery a sport, a creative art, a burning question about the Universe, anything as long as it is not another human being used for a stooge. It is this experiece of freedom that is not illusory. It is this that will endure.

Sorry to hear you can't comprehend. I do 100% believe you 100% "really tried".

It is not important perhaps you comprehend. It is enough that you know there are many things we all don't comprehend, including things you comprehend that I don’t, and things I comprehend that you don’t.

Plus this most crucial one:

"Anything one can't comprehend is crap" = Advanced Fundamentalism.

Last but not least. Read what I wrote again. I did not say from skateboard to skakeboard you advanced to the heaven of freedom in the way you would employ your faculty of thought. I said the experience of a freedom that comes from the mastery of “a sport, a creative art or a Q about the universe” can teach a child the discipline of freedom. Alas, RR, freedom is not the same thing as lack of control. It is not incontinence. It is a discipline. It is a dare that you know you can do because you are in full control. Ask Shaun White if you don’t believe me. Perhaps, just perhaps, that is one thing I comprehend that you don’t, judging by how worked up you are in your use of the word “crap”. :)

I would be sorry if you still didn’t comprehend. But at least, you must agree, I have cleared up the reading comprehension aspect of it.

If I failed in helping you with reading comprehension, go back for more school or have more fun crapping (I borrow “crap” from your lexicon), for there is no more I can do for you. Feel free to use all manners of ad hominen and insulting words. Just comprehend they are on your blogging record for good.

In the future, I do not respond to any reply to me that contains ad hominen and rude words. I enjoy a robust substantive discussion with any TE blogger Exchange of different ideas from thinking and responsible people is a joy and the most fundamental benefit of a free society. Thinking people by my book are folks who comprehend what freedom is versus confusing it with incontinence caused by a bowel malfunction or simply a history of early skipping of toilet-training. I do not travel in the company of either.

Innovative! Using sports to incorporate personal development. I have seen the film and was highly impressed. I was amazed to see the effects of the power of dedication of the boys and girls. I thought skateboarding was a California phenomena. I was pleasantly surprised to learn of its newfound importance and high priority in the lives of boys and girls in Afghanistan. Interestingly, in today’s environment when we show youths and demonstrate confidence in their leadership skills, the net returns that are achieved in their confidence and decision making. Being so thrilled I sent them a message of empowerment.

This is so great to see; skateboarding was such a positive force in my life and many of my friends. It helped a lot of who came from difficult backgrounds learn to stand on our own two feet(literally).
The Afghani youth surely face a tougher future than I ever did but this at least helps in a small way.
As one who still rolls around ate an advanced age, I look forward to seeing those kids develop their skills in vacuum, perhaps a whole new style will emerge.

you should do your research about the budgets of other NGOs and organizations in Afghanistan before you leave a comment. Many organizations there operate in the multi-million dollar range and have significantly less results than this small program.

I agree with your thoughts on fundamentalism, and its fear of thought.
.
But cannot comprehend how skateboarding helps anyone to become a free thinker. I really tried... but sorry. Kabul or Brisbane, it's crap.

OK lets see....that is about 1660 a month per staff and it does not include the cost of the truck, the gas, the food, maitenance, security... I think they are kicking ass and your point, though valid generally, doe not apply here bud.